Thanksgiving Blessing feeds almost 200 families despite cold weather and supply issues

Sub-zero temperatures and food shortages were not enough to stop the Upper Susitna Food Pantry’s Thanksgiving Blessing distribution earlier this month.

Food Pantry Executive Director LouAnne Carroll-Tysdal, says 194 baskets went to Northern Susitna Valley families this year.  About forty of those baskets were delivered to families who couldn’t make it to the drive-up distribution at Church on the Rock’s location near the ‘Y’ on Saturday, November 20^th.

While the temperatures in the Northern Valley were about fifteen degrees colder than normal on the day of the Thanksgiving Blessing, the weather was not the only obstacle this year.  LouAnne Carroll-Tysdal says the Food Bank of Alaska, which helps supply the distribution, had trouble getting enough turkeys, and there was no resupply available this year if demand exceeded expectations. In addition, the potato supply was short, but Carroll-Tysdal says she had enough advance notice to fill in the need through Cubby’s Marketplace.

Multiple local businesses and organizations helped with this year’s Thanksgiving Blessing. LouAnne Carroll-Tysdal says the Jessica Stevens Community Foundation supplied funds to buy additional food, and Moore’s Hardware and Building Supply picked up and delivered supplies to both Willow and Talkeetna.  In addition, Church on the Rock donated the use of its facilities as well as additional volunteers.

LouAnne Carroll-Tysdal says it was a difficult year, and she anticipates the food supply challenges to continue. She says she has had multiple orders come in short in recent months, and multiple grocery stores have signs advising shoppers of shortages on some items due to global shipping delays.